McLean ECNL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are also McLean ECNL girls that were offered a spot on WS VA's DA and said no. Some people want to make it sound like the DA is taking over. Not by a long shot. If all things are equal, McLean still has a major footprint on youth soccer.

This is true. Some took offers some didnt. But they went to the ID sessions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are also McLean ECNL girls that were offered a spot on WS VA's DA and said no. Some people want to make it sound like the DA is taking over. Not by a long shot. If all things are equal, McLean still has a major footprint on youth soccer.

This is true. Some took offers some didnt. But they went to the ID sessions.

Coaching is a huge factor. Also, it matters the level of talent a club can draw. It's important to put players with other talented players in practices. Coaching is almost everything, but a great coach with a weak talent pool still has to largely coach down to the level of talent the club has.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are also McLean ECNL girls that were offered a spot on WS VA's DA and said no. Some people want to make it sound like the DA is taking over. Not by a long shot. If all things are equal, McLean still has a major footprint on youth soccer.

This is true. Some took offers some didnt. But they went to the ID sessions.

Coaching is a huge factor. Also, it matters the level of talent a club can draw. It's important to put players with other talented players in practices. Coaching is almost everything, but a great coach with a weak talent pool still has to largely coach down to the level of talent the club has.

WS VA has vertically integrated practices. The 06s often practice/scrimmage with the 05s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On a topic like this you often get the viewpoint of disgruntled families who don't understand the ECNL and elite soccer environment. Those who know, know. I would put the McLean ECNL staff as a group among the best in the region.

I don't think the PP was talking about the ECNL staff

Actually, I was. That's why I'm on the ECNL thread. but general comments on the club are always informative too because it speaks to overall club philosophy. The PP who talked about Brent and so forth gave me more information. I really appreciate all the responses too. It's been very informative and I thank all of you.

There has been some ECNL coaching turnover here with Henderson leaving, new hires, etc., so those philosophies are more team-specific. The main club culture is primarily influenced by those higher up, not the ECNL coaching staff as directly. Anyone with DCs playing travel soccer in the club knows the people on this list.

From McLean website: "The McLean Youth Soccer professional technical staff is led by Director of Soccer, Keith Tabatznik, and Technical Director, Clyde Watson. Along with Goalkeeper Director, John Szaro, and Player Development Director, Jaime Moreno, the leadership is rounded out with Age Group Directors, Jamil Faryadi, Cindi Harkes, Jamil Walker and Jaon Ahmad."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On a topic like this you often get the viewpoint of disgruntled families who don't understand the ECNL and elite soccer environment. Those who know, know. I would put the McLean ECNL staff as a group among the best in the region.

I don't think the PP was talking about the ECNL staff

Actually, I was. That's why I'm on the ECNL thread. but general comments on the club are always informative too because it speaks to overall club philosophy. The PP who talked about Brent and so forth gave me more information. I really appreciate all the responses too. It's been very informative and I thank all of you.

There has been some ECNL coaching turnover here with Henderson leaving, new hires, etc., so those philosophies are more team-specific. The main club culture is primarily influenced by those higher up, not the ECNL coaching staff as directly. Anyone with DCs playing travel soccer in the club knows the people on this list.

From McLean website: "The McLean Youth Soccer professional technical staff is led by Director of Soccer, Keith Tabatznik, and Technical Director, Clyde Watson. Along with Goalkeeper Director, John Szaro, and Player Development Director, Jaime Moreno, the leadership is rounded out with Age Group Directors, Jamil Faryadi, Cindi Harkes, Jamil Walker and Jaon Ahmad."

I heard that either McLean or maybe it was Clyde integrate futsal in the winter with the main program. Do they actually teach futsal?

[Anonymous]

They just place outdoor teams in futsal leagues. There is no dedicated futsal staff or program offered.

[Anonymous]

i dont even think they do that, my DD did not participate in an MYS futsal specific team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They just place outdoor teams in futsal leagues. There is no dedicated futsal staff or program offered.

Is that a coach specific thing? Some coaches do it, some don't?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Although McLean lost a lot of 05s, the club has a much longer history of development and NT players than one age group. How is the 06 and below doing?

Oh you are talking about Jahon. Coached 06 and TD for 07 - 10 girls. No comment. We left.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Although McLean lost a lot of 05s, the club has a much longer history of development and NT players than one age group. How is the 06 and below doing?

Oh you are talking about Jahon. Coached 06 and TD for 07 - 10 girls. No comment. We left.

I see. So you have a personal gripe with a particular coach. That happens.

[Anonymous]

How strong are the other McLEan ECNL coaches?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How strong are the other McLEan ECNL coaches?

They talk about them elsewhere on the thread. This is from earlier in the thread too about Clyde Watson, who is I believe the TD and he's coaching the 2004 girls:

By far the best girls youth coach in the area. Nationally known. A wonderful guy. One of the nicest guys you can have the privilege of meeting. Most every college coach has him in their iPhone or Android, and they implicitly trust what he has to say. I've known of some college coaches who cannot attend a tournament and they ask Clyde to watch a game during his break between the games involving his own teams so they can get Clyde's impressions of a player from some other club. What other girls youth coach in the area (or anywhere) coached Mia Hamm, Abby Wambach and Homare Sawa? The latter two were FIFA women's world players of the year, and Mia won a ton of world and national awards. If you have the opportunity to have your daughter play for him, grab it!

He's the one I've heard of the most that is just considered one of the best coaches in NOVA. But all of them seem to have an excellent reputation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How strong are the other McLEan ECNL coaches?

They talk about them elsewhere on the thread. This is from earlier in the thread too about Clyde Watson, who is I believe the TD and he's coaching the 2004 girls:

By far the best girls youth coach in the area. Nationally known. A wonderful guy. One of the nicest guys you can have the privilege of meeting. Most every college coach has him in their iPhone or Android, and they implicitly trust what he has to say. I've known of some college coaches who cannot attend a tournament and they ask Clyde to watch a game during his break between the games involving his own teams so they can get Clyde's impressions of a player from some other club. What other girls youth coach in the area (or anywhere) coached Mia Hamm, Abby Wambach and Homare Sawa? The latter two were FIFA women's world players of the year, and Mia won a ton of world and national awards. If you have the opportunity to have your daughter play for him, grab it!

He's the one I've heard of the most that is just considered one of the best coaches in NOVA. But all of them seem to have an excellent reputation.

Clyde Watson coaches the 05s... great at identification

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How strong are the other McLEan ECNL coaches?

They talk about them elsewhere on the thread. This is from earlier in the thread too about Clyde Watson, who is I believe the TD and he's coaching the 2004 girls:

By far the best girls youth coach in the area. Nationally known. A wonderful guy. One of the nicest guys you can have the privilege of meeting. Most every college coach has him in their iPhone or Android, and they implicitly trust what he has to say. I've known of some college coaches who cannot attend a tournament and they ask Clyde to watch a game during his break between the games involving his own teams so they can get Clyde's impressions of a player from some other club. What other girls youth coach in the area (or anywhere) coached Mia Hamm, Abby Wambach and Homare Sawa? The latter two were FIFA women's world players of the year, and Mia won a ton of world and national awards. If you have the opportunity to have your daughter play for him, grab it!

He's the one I've heard of the most that is just considered one of the best coaches in NOVA. But all of them seem to have an excellent reputation.

Clyde Watson coaches the 05s... great at identification

That's right, the 05s, my mistake. Harkes coaches the 04s. I've heard good things about her too, but Watson is the "big" coach I know the most of.

[Anonymous]

Anyone have experience with the older age-group coaches? The 99/00 team that won the ECNL national title had the ECNL player of the year and a YNT player and all-ECNL member. Were those players developed by Coach Watson or did the other coaches develop the players.